Japan's Defense Ministry has requested a record budget of 8.5 billion yen (about 52.8 billion euros) for the next fiscal year to improve security on remote islands through unmanned vehicles in the face of growing military pressure from China.
The ministry is thus surpassing the 7.9 billion yen (about 49.1 billion euros) of the current fiscal year, which ended in March 2025. This increase follows the government's five-year plan, which calls for defense spending of 43 billion yen (about 267.3 billion euros) through 2027.
Record budget also aims to strengthen close-combat defence
The ministry also plans to use the record budget to strengthen close-range defenses by purchasing foreign missiles and expanding domestic production of long-range missiles. It also plans to allocate funds for small satellite constellations to improve target acquisition and tracking, which are essential for attacking enemy invasion forces.
At the same time, the funds are intended to address the staff shortage, as more and more people are quitting and at the same time too few are being recruited.
In the 2021 fiscal year, the Self-Defense Forces recorded 5,742 resignations, rising to 6,174 in 2022. These figures represent about 2 percent of all SDF personnel, excluding personnel hired for two to three years.
According to the Defense Ministry, the SDF's recruitment rate fell to a record low of 50.8 percent of the target in fiscal year 2023. The ministry sought 19,598 new soldiers but was able to respond to only 9,959, 5 percentage points lower than the previous record low of 55.8 percent in 1993.
The record budget also includes expanding the use of AI. The strategy covers seven areas, including the detection and identification of military targets, command and control, and logistical support.
Defense spending to be doubled to 2 percent of gross domestic product
The annual defense budget has long been capped at about 1 percent of gross domestic product, but the government plans to double spending under its 2022 security update as threats from Russia and North Korea grow.
